Quick Steps to Setting Up a Law Firm Website

Here are some quick tips for creating a pro law firm website that will get found online.

The first stage is choosing a domain for your law firm website. Your first instinct in picking a domain might be to choose a branded domain based on the name of your firm. While branding your domain may be a good idea for law firms, there are many situations where this may be a mistake.

My advice is to take out two domains, your branded domain (i.e. "yourlawfirmname[dot]com") and a key word targeted domain. For your keyword targeted, choose one of reasonable search volume and competition that is highly relevant to your practice. I like using the geographic, practice specific, legal term guideline (i.e. chicago-injury-law-firm.com).

To check the availability of your desired domain, head over to Domize. Make sure to try different keyphrase combinations and hyphen positions.

Once you have selected your domain, it's time to get it registered and set up a hosting account. While you've almost certainly heard of godaddy.com, we recommend trying hostgator.com. Whichever hosting solution you pick, make sure that your account includes the ability to use Fantastico to install WordPress.

Once you have picked out your host and installed WordPress, it's time to pick a theme. Your theme will provide the overall look and design of your site. There are many themes from which to choose, both free, and commercial. We like Studiopress, Woo Themes, and DIY Themes.

After deciding on your WordPress theme, it's time to start adding content. It's beneficial to plan out the structure of your law firm website/blog prior to adding pages and posts. You should consider whether you want your articles on your homepage, or a separate static homepage. We have seen both methods work effectively. You may also want to include an attorney profile page, practice areas section, blog page, and of course, a contact page.

Once you have set up these common pages, you are going to want to consider whether to install plugins. Don't go plugin crazy. While there are some plugins that can really help your efforts, there are some that are many that can have a negative impact on your site. Here are a couple that we recommend:

1. Ultimate Google Analytics

2. Google XML Sitemaps

3. SEO Smart Links

That's it. Now you've got a fully-functional law firm website and blog that is search engine friendly. The next steps are to add new articles, pages, and posts as frequently as possible.

Contact A Law Firm If You've Been Involved In A Tractor Trailer Accident

You were driving on the freeway with serenity. You are so relaxed as you have Adele on CD and you have been following her singing words for an hour now. Yes, you do this often and go from one place to another due to work. It is a "normal" thing for you and so far it has been great. No car troubles or auto accidents so far and you intend to keep it that way.

But as you know, accidents are accidents and nobody wants to be in the rut. It happens even to the most cautious drivers because the other vehicle is beyond your control. Only you can maneuver your car and no matter what you do, if the vehicle hits you, you are down. It is s not physically possible for you to direct the other vehicle. This is the reason why lawsuits and cases are always heard by the courts or settled during mediation.

Now the problem with freeway and super highways is that trailer trucks or tractors with cargo use the same road. These monstrous vehicles are deadly. One strike to a small car and it is over. If you get involved in a trailer truck accident and you get to live, then, you are one lucky and angel-held person.

This brings us to the idea of calling a law firm specializing in tractor trailer accidents. It is not the same with auto accidents. The latter is simple - insurance will handle the finances. But with tractor trailers, it is different. You will be facing the big company behind that tractor trailer (the company who hired the truck), the trucking company who owns the trailer involved in the accident and their lawyers with insurance people. More often, the private citizens who own the other cars end up with a ton of bills, physical problems and a destroyed car.

It can all change. If you are the victim, you can ask for what you deserve. You need to be hospitalized. You need to be compensated. You need a new car. Period. These things are the least that you deserve and they have to pay. To know your rights and make them pay, ask for the advice of a tractor trailer attorney in this matter.

And if you are a survived family member of someone who has been killed in a truck mishap, you must act now and contact a trailer tractor accident lawyer. They will tell you what to do in order to get justice from the loss of your family member or friend. It is never easy but it has to be dealt with on the spot. Law firms can assist you.

Starting a Law Firm - Internet Marketing

If you are starting a law firm, or are wondering how to start a law firm, there is no question that you have come across the issue of marketing your business idea. In this day and age, the main marketing tool for startup lawyers is the internet. Without an internet presence, your law firm is doomed to failure. So how do you get started on building up your law firm internet marketing?

1) Have a website.

The first weapon in your internet arsenal is the website. There really is not excuse not to have a website, especially with all the options out there in terms of cost, content, and simplicity. In other words, if you are an attorney starting a law firm, whether a Maryland criminal defense firm or a Virginia family law firm, you must have a website. It is the one place where people can always turn for information on you and your firm.

Your website should contain a lot of information, not just about you. It should also contain information about your practice areas and resources for your potential clients to review. However, your website should also be easy to navigate through, meaning visitors should be able to quickly find whatever they want very quickly.

The key to your website, though, is your call to action. The theory here is that, if you don't tell people what you want them to do, then they won't know to do it. Presumably you want visitors to your website to contact you in some fashion. So you need to give them a way, and preferably several ways, to do that. Include your email, phone number, address, and any other way to contact you, on every page. Also tell them that they need to contact you. Use command words. Contact us today!

2) Utilize a blog.

The second piece to your internet marketing plan should be a blog. Go out there and start one today. It's simple, especially with these user-friendly sites such as Wordpress and Blogger. It's as simple as having an idea and signing up for a free account with your email address. At this point, it doesn't really matter what you write, just start writing.

Customization is the key to your blog. You want to make it relevant to your practice areas (for example, if you practice Virginia traffic ticket defense, then you can write your blog all about the different kinds of traffic violations), but you also want to make it general enough that you can continually post without running out of ideas. You can also have more than one blog for different practice areas or different jurisdictions or for whatever else you want.

Blogs are trendy you say? Sphhh. Blogs are here to stay. Why? Because they provide an easy way to get information across the internet. Not only that, but you can link to your website from your blog, or to other blog entries. You can even optimize your blog for your main keywords or practice areas, so that eventually through posting you will move up the search engine rankings.

3) Publish some articles.

Finally, you should be writing articles regularly. There are many article directory sites out there where you can sign up and post your articles. Some of them have more stringent rules for posting than others, and do a more thorough review of the content before allowing the article. But a more elite article directly means greater authority on the subject you are writing about.

Of course, you need to have something to write about. That's the easy part. Just think about your practice areas, or how to start a law firm, or anything else that you have come across in your legal career, and start writing about it. Eventually, you writing the articles will become almost second nature and you will be able to spit one out in only a few minutes. But for now, just start writing.

You don't necessarily need to do these things in order. But if you are starting a law firm, you must have an internet marketing strategy and the patience to stick with it. There is no overnight solution, but you must put some elbow grease into your website, blog(s), and article(s). If you keep at it on a regular basis, you will eventually see the fruits of your resolve.

5 Reasons Lawyers Practice Law

Many of my friends like myself, are lawyers. Since law school and over the years I have realized that there are some common reasons why despite the unmitigated misery, pressure and stress they choose to practice law.

* Money - They think they will make loads of money. A six figure income is a heck of an inducement.

* Snob Appeal - They view law as a prestigious occupation and that along with money it will lead to, for some, an improvement and for others, preservation of their status

* Challenges - They think of the law as an intellectually challenging and stimulating field perfect for the skills they already have and want to sharpen.

* Pressure - They are from a family of lawyers. They are expected to join the firm.

* Naivety - They see so many wrongs in the world and they want to change them.

While some may actually enjoy the cut and thrust of the practice, in my own experience, I will have to say that most lawyers are unhappy in their jobs. I have seen the job lead to the break down of their family lives, their emotional stability and their quality of life in general. Sadly many of them see no way out but to tolerate the agony of the practice while recognizing the harm it poses to their broader existence.

We need to get real and get a life. We don't have to sit down day after day in a miserable job. If you really think about it, you can find a way to have the things you want while doing the things you love. Remember you have the power, you can leave the bar.

Government Contracts Law Firm - Helping Understand Complexity

When looking at government contracts law firm options for your business needs, you'll want to look into a variety of things to ensure that you're hiring the best. Some firms only work on one aspect of government contracting and leave the consumer out in the cold when it comes to others. It's important to have services that place you as a priority and not just a case number that gets little to no attention. Don't get lost amidst a large firm that only cares about the bottom line, make sure that you seek out a company that has a long standing reputation of helping people with their contract translation needs. Consider the following 3 things you should look for in a high quality firm.

Client Benefits - The first thing to look for is client benefits that are in line with what you and your business needs. You'll want to make sure that these services are outlined and clear before you invest any money in hiring them. If you don't spend the proper time analyzing the benefits that you will receive, you might end up with a firm that is not necessarily a good one for what you require. Make sure that you get flexible sites, and attorneys and consultants work as team members with your business as well as have a clear understanding of the type of business you're involved with.

Variety of Industry Knowledge - There are a lot of industries that get government contracts, and many of them aren't what you think. Among the top industries that are contracted out, some of them have very strict contractual obligations that go beyond wages and deliverables. When it comes to explaining these clauses, it's important for a business to fully be explained the issues before signing any documents or moving forward. This is where a government contracts law firm can really shine, with having lawyers in every industry type and having a full grasp of how contract rhetoric is formulated and implemented within any style of business.

Litigation and Appeals - This is something that most people don't look for until something goes awry with their contract. Whether there's a breech or a disagreement on the final costs versus price paid, it's important to have someone that will fight for your case. When there is an issue that comes up, get a firm that knows what to do to make sure you get everything that is coming to you in terms of compensation.

The above 3 things to look for in a law firm are just a sampling of the things you'll need to move forward. Without the above, the company you're looking at will not be worth your hard earned money.

Attorneys Need to Manage Their Online Reputation: Four Steps to Help

We all know it's a fact of life that you can't please everyone all of the time, but what happens when dissatisfied individuals post their frustrations online? A negative review can cause a lot of damage to a law firm, and neglecting your online reputation can be a disastrous misstep. With the popularity of social media, it is easier than ever for users to post slanderous material in places like Facebook, Twitter, and CitySearch. Negative reviews will not only cause embarrassment, but can also jeopardize current client relations and future business. You can't prevent people from posting negative feedback about your practice, but you can monitor your online reputation and prevent further disaster by paying attention to the following steps.

1. Own Your Domain

Purchasing your domain name is an important step in controlling your online presence. Not only will it ensure that the people who are searching for you will find your website, but it can prevent someone else from posing as your business and ruining your good name. If a potential client searches for you, it is important that they find your reputable website first, instead of a bad review. Domain names are one investment that will pay for itself immediately. It is a good idea to go ahead and register your domain as soon as possible because first choice URLs are becoming increasingly difficult to get.

2. Develop a professional website

Having a clean, modern and well developed website is vital for Law Firms. Your site becomes the online representation of your practice, and if it is outdated or unprofessional, it will give the same impression about your firm. It is easy to develop a site that looks good while efficiently conveying important information about your firm and services. It is important to have a site that is easy to navigate and can be updated regularly. It is a good idea to embrace your company website as it is a direct reflection of your firm.

3. Activate Google-Alerts

Wouldn't it be great if you could be notified every single time someone posts about you or your practice? Imagine how helpful it would be to instantly know when someone posts negative feedback. With Google alerts, you can set up automatic notifications for whatever search terms you choose, alerting you every time your search terms match any kind of news post, blog, website, video or discussion. For example, setting up a search for your practices' name will send you an e-mail every time it is mentioned on the internet. This will give you quick warnings about feedback so you can respond promptly and accordingly.

4. Publish a Blog

Blogging is a productive way to manage your online reputation. By publishing content that you write, you can populate your search results with accurate, helpful and positive material that can promote the image of your firm. Show off your legal knowledge by writing articles about your expertise. By making a blog filled with entertaining and pertinent content, others might want to link to your site, creating brand awareness, generating traffic and potential business.

Your online reputation is a fragile thing, and all it takes is a few bad reviews to seriously harm your firm. Disregarding what people are saying about you and not taking necessary precautions to protect your online reputation is basically an invitation for disaster. By paying attention an following some of the advice above, you can have a better idea of how you are being represented online. Managing your online reputation does take time and effort, though, and the attorney back office specialists at Legis, Inc can make this process easy. Legis offers solutions to the time consuming and tedious tasks that often overwhelm a law office. To learn more about how Legis, Inc ( http://www.legisin ) visit our website or call (888) 875-1221 today.

Real Estate Law Firm - Find Out What the Right One Can Do for You

There are plenty of great deals on housing available these days, but not all of them involve simple transactions. In fact, some are quite complicated, which is where an experienced real estate law firm comes in. Most people do not know their rights when dealing with home transactions, which is why no matter what your plans are, you can likely use the help of someone who has years of experience in this field. Find out what a real estate law firm can do for you.

Not every home sale or purchase is simple, and when dealing with a large amount of money, it is important to know everything possible about the transaction before it is completed. Whether you are buying or selling a house or condo, and whether it will be your primary residence or an investment, you could probably use a good attorney on your side. A lawyer will let you know what to expect from the purchasing or selling process, and can ensure that all the paperwork you need is in on time.

If you already own a home but want to refinance the mortgage, you probably have questions. A real estate law firm can likely help you get your queries answered so that you have everything you need when you approach your lender for a lower interest rate. This can make sure that you do not waste your time, and that you get the lowest rate that you are entitled to.

Some people who own investment homes encounter trouble with their renters. Whether they do not pay on time or at all, it may be necessary to get a professional involved in the matter. A reputable real estate law firm can help you get your money. If you have not yet had any problems but want to make sure you are covered in the future, a lawyer can help you draw up a contract to protect you and your property. Your attorney should also be able to let you know what your options are should your renter not cooperate with the agreement.

Buying and selling property involves a lot of money changing hands, which means there may be occasion to be taken advantage of. If you want to safeguard your property and your finances, you may need professional assistance. This way, you can make sure that you are going about your real estate transactions the right way, every time.